By Gitu Jain, New England Botanic Garden
November 2024
Since it first illuminated the Garden’s landscape years ago, Night Lights has become a cherished tradition, drawing thousands of visitors annually. Beyond highlighting the Garden’s natural beauty, the annual winter light display invites people to celebrate the magic and festivities of the season. Last year alone, the Garden welcomed 66,000 guests to experience the sparkle while creating unforgettable memories.
But Night Lights wasn’t always the signature event it is today. Dawn Davies, NEBG’s formal gardens manager, has worked here for 25 years and has seen the remarkable ways Night Lights has evolved over the years firsthand. “It’s been a delight to see how the event and the displays have grown over the years,” she says. “Seeing how Night Lights welcomes more visitors to the Garden each year and fosters connection with nature has been a joy.”
So, what were those early days like?
Holly Days 2003 featured cozy indoor displays of lights and decorated trees
In the mid-nineties, the Garden hosted an annual event that some will remember called the ‘Festival of Trees,’ showcasing Christmas trees decorated with ornaments. Then in 1997, the Garden introduced a year-end light display known as Holly Days to raise funds for its operations. The event ran through 2013, mainly during the day and mostly indoors with some outdoor evening experiences included. At that time, light displays were not the focus but rather part of the overall Holly Days celebrations, which included live music, performances, and various holiday activities. The real highlight of Holly Days was handcrafted ornaments made with natural materials such as dried flowers, leaves, seeds, cones, and branches, as well as other festive decor that captured the spirit of the holidays. Most years adopted a unique theme.
Take 2011, for instance. Holly Days: Fashioned from Nature featured ornaments that highlighted the year’s glitz and glamour, whereas 2012’s Holly Days: Food, Glorious Food, showcased ornaments crafted to look like sugarplums and cupcakes alongside other faux culinary decorations. As part of Holly Days, the Garden collaborated with outside organizations, such as garden clubs, to decorate trees, wreaths, and other holiday decor. Some years, the Garden also held People’s Choice awards for the decorations.
